Island



CHARLES BEAN.

Improvement in Horse Hay-Forks.

Patented May 2,1871.

didnt %iai5 CHARLES BEAN, OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND.

Letters Patent No. 114,391, dated May 2, 1871.

IMPRQVEMENT IN HORSE HAY-FORKS.

The-Schedule refen'ed to these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom 'lt may conce/rn: y

Be it known that I, CHARLES BEAN, of Pawtucket, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a certain new and usefnl Horse Hay-Fork. My invention relates to that general class of horse hay-forks which is provided with main and auxiliary tines which, when the fork is loaded, are held in position by a spring-latch, and released by a tripping device.

My invention consists in certain novelties of construction; and I do hereby declare the following speciiication, taken in connection with the drawing furnished and forming a part of the same, is a clear, true, andexact description thereof.

Referring to the drawing- Figure 1 represents one of my improved forks loaded withI hay.

Figure 2 represents the same in longitudinal vertical section.

Figure 3 represents the fork ready for loading, and about to be inserted into the mass of hay to be lifted.

A is, properly speaking, the handle of the fork. It is provided with an extension, which may be readily grasped by the operator while handling it.

The lifting-line a is attached to the handle.

B is the shank of the several main tines C, which are all rigidly attached thereto.

This shank and the handle A are connected by a hinge-joint at b. This joint is so constructed that while the main tines-may drop freely to a position at right angles to the handle, they cannot, if the forks be turned over, pass ont of a line generally parallel with the line of the handle, as shown in g. 3.

D is a holding-bar rigidly attached at one end to the handle A at point c.

It extends toward the main tines through a slot, cl, in shank B, and then is curved upward.

E are the auxiliary' tines. They are rigidly attached to the handle A, and at nearly right angles to the general line thereof, curving slightly toward the main tines.

F is a spring sliding latch ou the shank B, placed across the slot d, above and in' close relation to the upper edge of the guide-bar D, which passes through 'the slot.

main land auxiliary tines in proper holding relation4 with each other, and admitting of no separation ir any manner Without the latch be disengaged from the recess.

therefrom is accomplished by a continued strain \upon' the tripping-cord.

It will be observed that when the latch has been moved by the lever as far as the end of the slot f, the bearing-strain cornes direct against the holdingscrew, and not on the latch-spring.

The operation may be explained as follows:

The fork is turned over, as shown in fig. 3. It will he observed that the main tines are then nearly parallel with the handle, and that, therefore, the whole device may he handled in a manner similar to handling a pitchfork, and forced into the hay to be lifted.

The handle A is then raised and carried over, which causes the auxiliary tines to bear upon the hay above the main tines.

The weight of the operator then thrown upon the handle causes the latch-F to engage with the recess ein tile guide-bar. The fork is then ready for hoisting.

After having been elevated and swung to the desired point the tripping-line g is pulled, which, by disengaging the latch from the recess, allows the hay to be discharged.

It is also practicable, if desired, to load the fork by forcing" the auxiliary tines E into the hay on a line `with their curve. In such case the main tines may be readily kept out of the way, either by a continued strain upon the tripping-cord q or by the friction of the latch or slot in theshank against the guide-bar.

When the tines E have been sufficiently inserted the main tines could then be turned dowuuntil the latch engaged, after which the whole wouldlbe ready for hoisting.

As there is but one working-joint in the fork, and as that is in a position not likely to get clogged, it is but little liable to get out of order. The tines being all rigid, they may be made very strong at a low cost.

My fork is well adapted for use in the iield with suitable portable hoisting apparatus tor loading cocks upon wagons. p

In handling small quantities no dificulty will be A sisting of the main and auxiliary tines C and E, rigidly attached to the Ahandle and shank, respectively, and connected by'a hinged joint, the rigid holdingbar D attached to the handle, the spring sliding latch F and tripping-lever Gr, all constructed and operating substantially as described.

CHARLES BEAN. Witnesses:

PnlNnAs FAIRBBOTHEB, M. N. DAvIsoN. 

